Roberto Mancini's Italy: Mohamed Ali Zoma's Potential Call-Up

Roberto Mancini is back in charge of Italy – and he may be about to hand a first call-up to one of the most intriguing attacking talents in Germany’s second tier: Mohamed Ali Zoma.

Mancini’s new Italy, new dilemmas

The first international break of the 2026-27 season is looming, and it will not be a gentle return for the Azzurri. Italy are set for an extended two-week Nations League block, facing Belgium, Turkiye, France and Turkiye again in a demanding run that will immediately test Mancini’s second spell as CT.

This is not just another squad list. Italy are still reeling from a brutal 2026 calendar year that ended without a World Cup ticket. Reputations took a hit, certainties crumbled, and the old guard can no longer rely on status alone. Mancini has been brought back to reset the tone and the talent pool.

That means change. And it likely means new passports being “locked down” before rival federations swoop.

Zoma, the winger on three nations’ radar

At the centre of that tug-of-war sits Mohamed Ali Zoma.

The 22-year-old 1. FC Nürnberg winger was born and raised in Merate, firmly rooted in Italian football culture, but his international future is not yet sealed. Through his parents, he remains eligible for Burkina Faso and the Ivory Coast, and both pathways remain open until he plays a competitive senior match.

Italy do not want to leave that door ajar for long.

Zoma came through at AlbinoLeffe, featuring for both their youth and senior sides in Serie C, before taking a decisive step last summer. Nürnberg moved early, paying €1.5m to bring him to the 2. Bundesliga. It already looks like a bargain.

A breakout season in Germany

Zoma’s first year in Germany was explosive. He racked up 19 goal involvements in the league – 14 goals and five assists – across just 29 appearances in the 2. Bundesliga, numbers that instantly flagged him to scouts and national-team analysts alike.

He has not eased off this season. Five games into the 2026-27 campaign, he already has five goals. Same league, same club, higher expectations – and he is still delivering.

That form has inevitably stirred the transfer market. Sky Sport DE’s Florian Plettenberg reported late-window interest in the winger, but Nürnberg refused to cash in. The club are said to value him at around €20m and made it clear they wanted him to stay.

For now, the real battle is not between clubs, but between flags.

Direct contact with Mancini

Zoma has already confirmed that the conversation with Italy is no longer theoretical. It is real, and it is personal.

“It’s true, Roberto Mancini and I have spoken. He said that he is keeping an eye on me and that I should keep going like this, and then we’ll see,” the winger told Sky.

That “we’ll see” may not last much longer. According to Tuttosport, an Italy call-up is “increasingly close” for the 22-year-old. TMW go even further, predicting that Zoma will be named in Mancini’s next squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.

If that happens, Italy will not just be adding a form winger from Germany. They will be making a statement about the direction of the new era – aggressive on dual nationals, ruthless about refreshing the group, and willing to trust a 22-year-old who chose to test himself abroad.

The question now is simple: when Mancini reads out that list for Belgium, Turkiye and France, will Mohamed Ali Zoma’s name be on it – and will that be the night his international future is decided for good?